Supreme Court issues non-bailable warrant against Subrata Roy

The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a non-bailable warrant against Sahara group head Subrata Roy and ordered his arrest for defying its summons to appear in court.

On Tuesday, the apex court dismissed Roy's plea for exemption from personal appearance before it.

The court has ordered the police to produce Roy before it on Mar 4.

On failing to appear before the court on Wednesday, the Sahara chief issued an application addressed to senior advocate Ram Jethmalani, who is representing Roy in court. He requested the lawyer to appeal in court to exempt him from personal appearance on Wednesday citing his mother's health condition.

"After my application was rejected yesterday, I decided to go to Court and come back to Lucknow. On reasonable estimate for traveling to Delhi by private plane and back to my house in Lucknow after the Court work, around 9 hours or more would be required," the application read.

"None of we brothers-sisters can leave my Mother in today's condition. If there is any doubt about what I have stated about condition of my mother, the Hon'ble Court may kindly send someone to my place in Lucknow and the truth shall be revealed. Nothing is more than Mother," it read.

"The moment I shall be in a position to go and come back, I shall inform immediately and then on any convenient date given by the Hon'ble Court, I shall be attending the court," Roy wrote in his application.

He said he wanted to appear in court before also.

"I once again request you to kindly request the Honourable Court to consider my request for exemption from personal appearance on 26-2-14," Roy appealed.

The Supreme Court last Thursday summoned Subrata Roy for his company's failure to "refund Rs 20,000 crore" raised from small investors.

The Supreme Court last Nov had barred Subrata Roy from leaving the country and also restrained it from selling any of its properties.

The bench of judges K S Radhakrishnan and J S Khehar also said that market regulator SEBI can sell the properties of the diversified conglomerate to recover the money.

Earlier, the court had directed Sahara to hand over the title deeds of its properties worth Rs 20,000 crore to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

Accusing Sahara Group of playing 'hide and seek', the Supreme Court on Oct 29 asked the group to hand over the title deeds of its properties worth Rs 20,000 crore to the SEBI.

Hearing contempt petitions filed by the SEBI for not complying with the Aug 31, 2012 directions on refund of deposits, the court had ruled that Sahara chief Subrata Roy cannot leave the country without the permission of the court.